Workers are installing a water main under South Street as part of a $93 million interchange and highway extension project along I-70 that is scheduled to be done in fall 2009. Use exit 54 (Route 355/85) or exit 56 (Route 144) as alternate routes during the ramp closures. The ramps should reopen by 5 a.m. Monday.

Hand Grips on Metrorail
The transit authority is installing metal grips along the overhead railings in its newest rail cars, the 6000 series. These are the cars where poles have been removed from the front and rear entrances to move riders toward the center of the train and away from the doors.

Shorter riders have complained about the difficulty of reaching the railings. The metal grips tilt toward the windows and away from the aisles, but can be pulled toward the rider.

Airport Metrobus
I found Metro's B30 bus to be a very convenient and cheap way of getting between Baltimore Washington International Marshall Airport and the Greenbelt Metro station -- once I found the bus stop. From inside the airport terminal, it's a little difficult to figure out which way to go once you exit the baggage claim area.

Look for the bus shelters at either end of the terminal. As you exit the Greenbelt Metro station heading to the airport, walk to the left of the exit to find the B30 shelter. The trip costs $3 with a SmarTrip electronic fare card and $3.10 with cash.

Route 450 at Peace Cross
Workers are setting steel this weekend for a new CSX railroad bridge at Route 450, near the Peace Cross in Prince George's County.
The weekend work is scheduled to last from 9 o'clock Saturday night to 9 o'clock Sunday night. But the project will continue for three weeks and there may be some overnight closures on weekdays during that period.

Telegraph Road Wires
During an online discussion Monday, a reader asked, "What are those weird things hanging off the power lines where they are doing the Telegraph Road interchange work? There are orange fins hanging at the end of a bunch of lines, almost like boat anchors."

Alex Lee, community relations manager for the Wilson Bridge project, which includes reconstruction of the nearby interchanges, says that for safety reasons the flags were placed on power lines recently relocated by Virginia Dominion Power. The flags remind crane operators about the lines above them. They will be removed when the interchange is done.

Bridge Redecking
Maryland is reconstructing the deck on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge's westbound span. Between now and Memorial Day, the best travel times are: Thursday before 2 p.m., Friday before 2 p.m. and after 10 p.m., Saturday before 10 a.m. and between 5 and 8 p.m., and Sunday between 9 a.m. and noon and after 7 p.m.

All the redecking work occurs overnight. The westbound bridge can close as early as 8 p.m., reopening the next morning. There is two-way traffic during that time on what is normally the eastbound span.

Remember that if you're actually coming out of the Greenbelt Metro, to the B30, get a transfer at the station you entered Metrorail, and you'll be paying $2.20 instead of 3.10. The SmarTrip does that for you automatically.
Same story for a transfer from another bus.

I think I'll drive over to Branch Avenue and ride the Green Line, since it sounds like it should be unaffected and there is no Beltway closure scheduled over there this weekend. I took that route for Opening Night and it worked pretty well.